Saturday morning, April 23rd

Jim is gone to help do some training for the new branch presidencies this morning.  They need some pretty basic direction so it should go well.

 

Yesterday we went and helped with clean-up at a house that was rented for the new Ndirande Branch.  There was a good turnout.  The women cleaned floors, windows, bathrooms, etc. inside and the men worked on the yard (it is a huge yard).  It was beginning to look pretty good when we were done.  The women were talking about planting some flowers and making it look even better.  There is a coconut tree in the yard and so there was some competition to see who could knock one down with a rock and finally once came down.  Pres. Chinyumba got it out of the outer covering and then the sisters broke the shell and we had a taste.  It was good.    We will go to that Branch for church tomorrow.

 

 

The previous renters left behind their dog and her three pups.  After yesterday it seems like they all have homes now.  I was glad to see that happen. 

 

Friday we took an Elder to the eye doctor and I met Juliet, the receptionist.  I talked for a while and I gave her a B of M.   She is really a nice girl and offered to take us for a drive some Saturday to see her rural home, about 50 minutes away.  She is here going to school two days a week (taking business) and working 5 days a week.   She is Seventh Day Adventist and discovered that we have quite a bit in common.

 

We had no water all day yesterday and had to heat water on the stove and have a bath out of the sink.  We had some warning so we had filled up the tubs, etc.  The water did come back during the night so we appreciated having a proper shower this morning.  We also had no electricity when we got home last evening - that happens now and then but not near as much as in Zimbabwe.  We decided to go out to eat.  We found a nice place at a hotel not far from here that has reasonable prices.  This weekend they are only caring half-price though since it is Easter - that was a nice surprise.  We had some rice with an Asian chicken stir fry dish.  It was good.   I said that perhaps we should go again tonight since it is half price and have a steak for my birthday!!

 

We will go shopping this afternoon to get some items for Easter dinner tomorrow.  The stores were  closed yesterday.  I hope I can get what I need or I might have to change the menu plan.  I am going to roast some chickens and I did buy some potatoes on the street yesterday.  I'm not sure that I really got that good of a deal but I did pay half of what he was asking to begin with.  They see our white faces and the prices go way UP!   I made a batch of rolls this morning and they seem to be turning out good, so far.  The first pan is in the oven.  Maybe I will be able to bake better in Malawi than I did in Zimbabwe.  I didn't ever need to feed Elders and visitors there though so I will have to be a good cook here!   I guess I will find out this week after I feed the missionaries tomorrow and then do the food for Zone conference on Thursday.

 

We were lucky and found some skim milk the other day so we bought all 8 litres of it.  Apparently there is a shortage of milk due to 'foot and mouth' disease somewhere.  I noticed that the milk came from Lusaka, Zambia.  It is UHT milk and will keep on the shelf for several months but only about 4 or 5 days after it is opened.  It tastes just fine.  That is what we had in Zimbabwe too.  It is easier to find 'full fat' milk but we are trying to not use that.  They sometimes have 2% but 1% is not even made here.

 

The weather is beautiful.  It isn't too hot in the day and the nights are ok - we sleep with a sheet and very light bedspread on us.  We have our mosquito net over the bed too, just in case.  We don't want to get malaria!!!  We do take a malaria pill each day so we should be ok.  Mosquitoes are not too bad at this time of year.

 

We hope everyone has a good Easter. 

 

Love to all,  Sister Bullock/mom